Won't You See My Neighbor?

Only two weeks after the release of Raised by Wolves (2024 Records), Fitzgerald already have their pick of shows. As of press time, the married couple's May 6 performance for the Minnesota Museum of American Arts' 1st Fridays series is up in the air. The only definitive info is that they've accepted an opening slot with Tegan and Sara (see A-List, p. 30, for more on the headliners) the same night. Two duos that defy their folk tags with pop that's too animated for snoozy coffee shops? Who'd turn down a fit that perfect? Fitzgerald's road song "How Far North?" is so catchy you could put it on repeat all the way to Duluth and not get sick of it, even if you were going 35.

Mike Lane presents a prankishly egomaniacal story about the making of his Five Acts to Follow (Dutch Maniac). Supposedly he traveled the world looking for undiscovered bands to record his latest batch of power-pop songs. The truth is, Lane recorded it all himself and will play with locally based colleagues at the Hexagon Bar on Friday.

Hello Blue are emo but not the whiny mall-rat kind that convinces kids to wear wrist cuffs. This is nerdy but pleasant stuff of the mid-'90s Promise Ring variety--just a few boys who like to sing quietly while cranking up the guitars. The Sunday release show for What It Takes to Wake Up (Afternoon Records) is at the Triple Rock Social Club.

Acoustic instrumentalists Trio Tipo play hushed, worldly melodies undeserving of raucous bars. Fortunately, they're marking the release of Where We've Been (self-released) at Coffee Grounds on Saturday. We take back what we said about snoozy coffee shops.

Hope you've been doing your lunges. After nine local performance-free months, Walker Kong return to the Turf Club to warm up for the Ashtray Hearts and remind us that some bands enforce pogoing. No, seriously. You have to.